BEYOND THE BROCHURE: WHY WE TRAVELLED TO BELGIUM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND PHARMACY AUTOMATION
At Fusion Health Space, we believe great pharmacy design doesn’t happen in isolation.
It comes from understanding every piece of the puzzle – from patient experience and workflow to integration of technology, aesthetics, construction and the people who use the space every day.
And when it comes to automation, as an independent pharmacy design practice, we work alongside all major providers in Australia.
So when the opportunity came up for our Senior Designer Monika to visit Meditech’s headquarters in Belgium during her recent trip to Europe – we knew it would be invaluable – not only for our own learning, but ultimately for the pharmacies we design.
Why It Matters
With the rapidly changing needs of community pharmacy, our role is to understand the strengths, limitations and opportunities of every solution available, so we can help each client integrate the options that best suits their pharmacy, workflow, budget and long term vision.
Over the years, we’ve collaborated on many successful projects with the Australian Meditech team and developed a fantastic working relationship built on trust, collaboration and shared goals.
The visit provided an opportunity to step behind the scenes, meet the people shaping the future of pharmacy automation and gain a deeper understanding that simply isn’t possible through brochures, video calls or product demonstrations.
In part two of our two-part blog series, Monika shares her insights and takes us further behind the scenes of her European trip.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
Walking through Meditech’s headquarters was an eye opening experience.
The first surprise wasn’t the robots.
It was everything behind them.
From the showroom through to the production facilities and warehouse, it quickly became clear just how much expertise, engineering and planning goes into every automation solution. Seeing the manufacturing, assembly and quality testing processes firsthand gave me a new appreciation for the complexity behind what eventually arrives on site as a finished product.
One of the most interesting parts of the visit was seeing the level of testing undertaken before each system leaves the factory. Individual components, conveyor systems, electrical assemblies and mechanical parts are all tested and refined to ensure reliability long before they become part of a completed installation.
It reinforced something we often tell our clients: the best technology isn’t simply innovative. It’s reliable, well considered and designed to support pharmacies for many years through maintenance, upgrades and evolving workflows.
The People Behind the Technology
While the technology itself was impressive, what stood out most was the people behind it.
Throughout my visit, every conversation was open, generous and genuinely collaborative.
There was a genuine willingness to share knowledge, answer questions and openly discuss ideas, current solutions and future thinking.
Whether we were discussing workflow planning, installation considerations or broader industry trends, there was a shared passion for improving the way pharmacies operate – not simply selling equipment.
Meeting Timon, Guillaume, Tom, Michelle and the wider Meditech team gave me valuable insight into the people driving that innovation every day.
It reminded me that the best partnerships are built on trust, collaboration and a shared commitment to continuous improvement.
More Than Robots
One of the biggest takeaways from the visit was that pharmacy automation is much more than a dispensing robot.
It’s an entire ecosystem.
Alongside the robots themselves, I was taken through customer collection systems, parcel lockers, self-service kiosks and a number of exciting innovations that demonstrate how pharmacy automation continues to evolve.
Rather than focusing on individual products, what interested me most was how each solution contributes to a broader workflow. Every element has a purpose, helping pharmacy teams work more efficiently while creating a smoother, more convenient experience for patients.
This made me reflect on how we approach our design projects – attention to the detail and acknowledgement of how it fits into the unique ecosystem of the pharmacy.
I was also fortunate to visit several Belgian pharmacies where these technologies are used every day. Seeing them operating in real environments – and hearing directly from the people who use them – brought everything together in a way that simply isn’t possible in a showroom.
Learning from Studio Clement
During our visit, I was also fortunate to spend time with the team at Studio Clement.
Exploring their showroom and manufacturing facilities provided me with both insight and inspiration into a range of thoughtfully designed displays, shelving systems, counters and pharmacy fixtures, all created with practicality, flexibility and everyday workflow in mind.
With a rich history in European pharmacy design spanning three generations, their work complements Meditech’s technology.
It was a valuable reminder that successful pharmacy environments rely on thoughtful design just as much as innovative technology, and it was inspiring to see how these disciplines work together to create better outcomes.
Designing for the Future, Not Just Today
One message that was consistently reinforced throughout my visit and discussions across the teams was the importance of planning ahead.
The more we spoke about pharmacy automation and design, the clearer it became that the best outcomes are achieved when automation is considered early in the design process.
Even if a pharmacy isn’t ready to invest immediately, understanding future aspirations allows us to design with those possibilities in mind.
Structural requirements.
Ceiling heights.
Electrical infrastructure.
Plumbing.
Service zones.
Spatial allowances.
These are far easier – and significantly more cost effective – to accommodate during the design stage than to retrofit years later.
Future proofing has always been a core principle at Fusion Health Space and my visit only reinforced the value of that approach.
We don’t just design pharmacies for opening day.
We design them for where the business wants to be many years into the future.
Technology Supports People
One misconception I still encounter in many of our early briefing discussions with clients is that automation replaces pharmacy staff.
Our experience continues to reinforce the opposite.
The purpose of technology isn’t to remove people.
It’s to remove repetitive tasks.
When pharmacy teams spend less time locating stock, unpacking deliveries or completing repetitive manual processes, they gain more time for patient care, professional services and meaningful customer interactions.
That’s where the real value lies.
Technology should support people – not replace them.
Continuing to Learn
Visiting Meditech and Studio Clement reinforced something I’ve always believed and loved in my work: the best pharmacy outcomes are achieved through collaboration.
Great design doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when pharmacy owners, pharmacy teams, designers, automation specialists, manufacturers and shopfitters work together – sharing knowledge, challenging assumptions and learning from one another.
Most importantly, the visit gave me a much deeper understanding of the technology we integrate into design around every day. Seeing the people, the processes and the thinking behind the products has already influenced the way I approach conversations with our clients and how we as a team plan future projects.
I’d like to extend a sincere thank you Timon, Guillaume, Tom and the entire Meditech team for their generosity, openness and hospitality throughout my visit. Their willingness to share their knowledge and provide a genuine behind the scenes look at their business made the experience incredibly valuable.
I’m excited to continue building on the strong relationship we’ve developed and look forward to many more opportunities to collaborate in the future.
Because the more we understand every part of the pharmacy ecosystem, the better equipped we are to design pharmacies that are efficient, adaptable and ready for whatever comes next.